Powertel/AAPT and Macquarie Telecom Announce New Strategic Alliance

Sydney, Australia – 26 September 2007 – PowerTel/AAPT and Macquarie Telecom today announced a new, three-year, $100m pa strategic alliance.

Under the agreement, AAPT will provide a range of fixed line, voice and data services, to Macquarie Telecom, complementing and extending the reach of Macquarie Telecom’s existing business-grade carrier infrastructure.

“Macquarie Telecom’s business and government customers demand competitively priced, business class solutions and higher levels of service and control,” said Maha Krishnapillai, Macquarie Telecom Group Executive, Carrier & Strategy. 

The power of the alliance creates new opportunities for the two companies to work together to develop innovative IP-based product and service bundles as well as higher levels of customer service.

“We are delighted to have found in PowerTel/AAPT a like-minded partner that can deliver on these specific demands.”

“The alliance plays to our individual strengths – Macquarie Telecom’s class-leading provision of competitive, quality services to business customers and PowerTel/AAPT’s expanding infrastructure base,” he said.

 “This agreement is a ringing endorsement of our relationship with Macquarie Telecom and underlines the faith our customers have in AAPT and its future,” said Paul Broad, CEO, AAPT. 

“It also underscores the benefits of the merger of PowerTel and AAPT in May this year.

“The agreement creates exciting new opportunities for both companies.  These closer ties in network collaboration will allow us to exercise our individual strengths in the market sector and benefit from growth by investing time and effort into moving forward,” Mr Broad said.

The three-year agreement extends the relationship between the two companies as Macquarie Telecom transforms from a $35m PowerTel customer to a $100m customer of AAPT.

“As our strategic partner, PowerTel/AAPT offers the features and rapid product development that aren’t available on legacy networks,” said Mr Krishnapillai.

“This fits well with Macquarie Telecom’s own investments in IP-based infrastructure such as our Metropolitan Access Network that provides high-speed services around major Australian capital cities.”

“We are delighted this new strategic alliance provides the framework for us to deliver creative solutions tailored to our specific customer needs,” he said.

About AAPT

AAPT is Australia’s third largest telecommunications company providing high quality and competitive voice, internet and data products and services to businesses and retail customers throughout the country.

Owned by Telecom New Zealand, AAPT was established in 1991 as a serious competitor in Australia’s dynamic telecommunications market.

AAPT’s core strength and competitive offering was enhanced in 2007 when Telecom New Zealand acquired PowerTel, one of Australia’s leading business to business telecommunications companies.

The combination of AAPT’s consumer and business offering with PowerTel’s private network capability in all major metropolitan regions is changing the Australian telecommunications landscape.